Minn. governor recovering from spinal surgery

ROCHESTER, Minn. 
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has undergone spinal surgery that will likely sideline him at least through New Year's.

Dayton spokeswoman Kathleen Tinucci (tin-OO'-chee) says the Mayo Clinic surgeon who performed the procedure Thursday reports it went as planned, without any complications. She says the governor was out of surgery and awake by mid-afternoon.

Dayton hopes the operation will relieve a constriction in his lower back, known as stenosis, which Mayo says is generally caused by normal wear-and-tear on the spine due to aging. The procedure involves fusing vertebrae that shift out of alignment.

Dayton turns 66 in a few weeks.

He is scheduled to be released by Monday and will then return to St. Paul. He plans to work from the Governor's Residence during his recuperation period.